Quick-release and balanced-pressure wringer



April 1, 1924. r 1,488,963

C.,WELHART ET AL QUICK RELEASE AND BALANCED PRESSURE WRINGER Filed Oct. 2, 1919 ZSheets-Sfieet 1 6 a e A2. 75rmu'ena A pril 1, 1924'; 1,488,963

C. WELHART ET Al;

QUICK RELEASE AND BALANCED PRESSURE WRINGER Filed Oct- 2, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \A/flT- es E E5 E 1555 4 v Charles, WeZha'rZ' Patented Apr. 1, 1924.

Mrs!) STATES PATENT caries.

CHARLES wnmann'r, or LOWELL, AND enonen n. 'rowNsnNn, or WINCHESTER,

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, POBATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAVJAEE.

TO EDEN WASHER COR- QUICK-BELEASE AND BALANCED-PRESSURE WBINGEB.

Application filed October 2, 1919. Serial No. 327,971.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLns WVEL ARr erence being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this.

specification.

This invention relates to an. improved wringer construction wherein one of the wringer rollsis heldinto contact with the other by spring pressure exerted uponthe axle of theroller at each end thereof through an equalizing means and with means provided for adjusting the pressure at either side of the wringer to change the pressure between the wringer rolls and further with a quick release mechanism permitting separation of the wringer rolls instantly by movement of a lever for the purpose.

It is an object therefore of this invention to construct a wringer wherein spring equalizing mechanism is provided bearing upon the ends of the axle of one of the wringer rolls to hold the wringer rolls in close and uniform contact, and with a lever manually actuable to release the wringer rolls from pressure to permit separation thereof, and

with mechanisms provided on each side of the wringer for changing the pressure between the rolls.

It is also an object of this invention to The invention (in a preferred form) is lllustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

Drawings.

Figure 1 is a front view of a wringer embodying the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a central vertical section taken therethrough with parts shown in elevation.

Figure 3 is an end view of the wringer.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the wringer.

Figure 5 is an interior top plan view thereof.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2, illustrating the operation when the releasing device is operated.

Figure 7 is .a vertical section through the upper central part showing the lever 28 in perspective.

Description.

in said bearings. Also mounted within the channelledwupright portions 1 are a pair of movable. bearing blocks 6 which bear clownwardly upon the shaft 7 of an upper wringer roll 8. Secured on one end of the shaft 7 is a pinion 9 meshing with a pinion 10 secured upon the corresponding end of the shaft 5 and said pinions are enclosed within a housing 11, securedon the side wall of one of the upright channelled portions 1 of the wringer frame.

A pair of brackets 12 shown on Figures 1 and 3 are secured upon one face of the upright portions 1 and afford a means of at tachment for a downwardly inclined dis charge board 13 disposed adjacent to and below the lower wringer roll 4. Similarly another pair of brackets, only one of which is shown denoted .as the reference numeral 1 1- in Figure 3, are provided to sustain an inclined board 15, alined with the board 13. and projecting upwardly along the lower portion of the lower wringer. roll/4- Pivotally mounted within the upright channelled portions 1 are a pair of angled levers, cranks or blocks 16, fulorumed on pi'ntles 17. and

" plate 25 floats each block having a bearing nub 18 resting upon the top surface of one of the movable blocks 6.

The upper ends of the pivoted blocks 16' are each engaged by the threaded ends of large wing bolts 19 and each of said wing bolts 19 bears against collars which afford a seat for the ends of a pair of horizontally disposed compression springs 21. The inner ends of said compression springs bear against seat elements 22 each having a transverse guide pin 23 extending therethrough with the opposite ends of each of said pins engaging and projecting through slots 2 1 providedin the side walls of the upper channelled portion 2 of the wringer frame. Loosely engaged over the exterior of the channelled portion 2 of the wringer frame is a floating bearing plate or device of U-section, the edges of the ends of which are contacted by the transverseguide pins 23 to hold the same separated under the compression of their respective springs 21. It is apparent therefore that the bearing between the pins 23 effecting anequalizing action between the springs 21 whereby the pressure upon the respective bearing blocks 6 for the upper wringer roll 8 is equalized and the roller 8 is held clownwardly with uniform pressure against the roller 4:. 1

Said floating bearing plate 25 is held assembled with the wringer frame portion 2 by means of a pair of resilient overlapping plates 26 secured upon the top portion -2 of the wringer frame,.. and engaging over the top surface of the U- shaped bearing plate. Centrally of the top surface of said bearing plate 25 the metal is cut away and bent upwardly to afford an aperture therethrough aflording lugs'27 on each side thereof between which is journalled a lever 28 having. a lower cam surface 29 of angled shape. Said angled lower end of the lever 28 bears downwardly upon the top surface of the frame portion 2 as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 6.

Operation.

The wringer consists of the rotatable but fixedly mounted roll 4 and the rotatable floating or movable upper roll, 8 and the shafts-5and 7 of said respective rolls. rest in bearings-which are only-semi-circumferential and are confined thereinby the pressure of contact between the-rolls land. 8. Consequently whenthe pressure' is released therebetweenand separation of the rolls" is permitted, saidrollers may beeasily removed from their respectivebearing's'., 1,

cranks or levers 16 each having its" nut 1 8 bearing downwardly upon a bearing block 6 for the respective ends of the shaft 7 of the upper roll. lhe other ends of each of the springs 21 bear against the slidable seat members 22, the transverse pins 23 of which sliding in the slots 24 of the wringer frame, bear against the ends of the slidable bearing plate 25 so that the pressure exerted by the respective springs 21 is equalized and the same pressure is exerted upon each end of the shaft 7 for the roller 8. The pressure exerted by either one of the springs 21 may be varied by screwing either one of the wing bolts 19 inwardly or outwardly in its respective block 16 but such an operationto.

compress one ofthe springs 21 will serve also to compress the other spring 21 an equal amount owing to the equalizing floating bearing plate 25 interposed between the ends of the respective springs.

Quick release of the floating roll 8 of the wringer is obtained for a separation of the wringer rolls by moving the lever 28 downwardly on either side of the wringer such that the floating bearing plate 25 is adjusted in an upward direction owing to the cam action of the end 29 of the lever onthe top surface of the frame portion 2. Elevation of the bearing plate 25 releases the trans verse guide pins 23 of the spring seats 22 as shownin Figure 6 thereby relieving the compression on the springs 21 so that the pivoted blocks 16 may swing inwardly thus relieving pressure upon the bearing blocks 6 on the ends of the shaft 7 of the roller 8 and rendering the springs inoperative or ineffective. By compressing the springs and moving the parts to the position shown in Figure 2 the device 25 may be adjusted to a position between the springs to render the same operative or effective. The, teeth on the respective pinions or sprockets 9 and 10 secured upon the respective wringer roll shafts. 7 and 5, are of sufficient length to permitthe relative compression and releasing movements between the wringer rolls 8 and 4,. without causing disengagement of the driving connection therebetween.

When the wringer is in operating condition with the compression on the springs holding the roll 8 against the roll l, the bearing plate floats between the guide pins 23 and regardless of the compression imposed on either of the springs 21 by its respective compression wing bolt 19 the compression on the two springs will be equalized. If there is a greater thickness of an article passing through one end of the wringer between the rolls than at the other, thusctending to exert a greater pressure on one spring than the other, the compression on the springswill also be equalized, the bearing plate'25 simply moving to the right or'left sufiiciently tozequalize the pressure. This greatly increases the life of the wringer rolls and causes less wear on articles passing through the wringer such as buttons and other objects on the articles. Consequently there is no injurious effect either on the articles or on the wringer itself.

The structure of the wringer is exceedingly compact and the appearance of the wringer is a great improvement to a washing machine as the height of the wringer is only approximately half that of the present wringers used wherein vertical compression springs are utilized. This design also permits ready removal of parts of the wringer for repair or replacement.

We are aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and we therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

Claims:

1. A wringer of the class described comprising a frame and a pair of rolls, means for yieldingly pressing said rolls together comprising a pair of springs supported in substantially parallel relation with said rolls within said frame, a floating member upon said frame between said springs and means for displacing said floating memher for relieving the pressure of said springs.

2. In a wringer, comprising a frame and a pair of relatively movable rolls, means for normally and yieldingly urging said rolls together comprising a pair of resilient members movably supported by said frame, and a floating device supported upon said frame between said resilient members for equalizing the pressure thereof.

3. In a wringer comprising a frame and a pair of relatively movable rolls, a pair of yieldable members supported by said frame, leverage devices coacting with said members and the movable roll, and means between said members for rendering them effective, said means being adjustable for rendering said members non-effective.

4:. In a wringer comprising a frame and a pair of relatively movable rolls, levers bearing upon opposite ends of the movable roll, springs having their outer ends adjustable with respect to said levers and having their inner ends slidably supported by said frame, and an adjustable equalizing device between the free ends of said springs.

In a wringer, a pair of rolls, means for suporting said rolls with one movable relatively to the other, a pair of springs for pressing said movable roll into engagement with the other roll, means for supporting said springs in operative relation with said movable roll with one end of each spring freely slidable and a freely slidable and adjustable device on said spring supporting means and located between the slidable ends of said springs, said device being shiftable from its position between said springs for releasing the pressure thereof upon said movable roll.

6. In a wringer comprising a channel shaped frame and a pair of relatively movable rolls, levers bearing upon the ends of said movable roll, coil springs adj ustably sup ported at their outer ends against said levers and housed in said frame, said frame having guiding slot pins slidably mounted in said slots and connected to the inner ends of said springs and a displaceable equalizing device supported upon said frame between said springs.

7. In a wringer, comprising a frame and a pair of relatively movable rolls, yielding means pressing against one of said rolls, said frame having longitudinally extending slots, supports for said yielding means slidably mounted in said slots. and an equalizing device upon said frame between said supports, said device being shiftable for releasing said supports.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names in the presence of subscribing witness.

CHARLES VVELHART. GEORGE 'R. TOWNSEND. Witness:

CHARLES A. MAHONEY. 

